Heart Blood Disease Body Prevents United States People

Heart disease is the leading cause of death and a major cause of "disability" (illness or condition of the body or mind that prevents someone from doing certain activities) in the United States. Nearly everyone knows of or is "related to" (connected by blood to) someone who has been a "victim of" (person who has suffered because of) heart disease.

Nearly 600,000 Americans die of heart disease "annually" (each year). This is almost 25% of all deaths in the United States. To "raise awareness" (make more people aware) of this disease, February has been "American Heart Month" since 1963.

Some medical conditions, such as "high blood pressure" (too much force moving the blood through the body), and lifestyle factors, such as an unhealthy "diet" (what one eats and drinks), can increase your "risk" (danger) of developing heart disease. Having close "biological" (related by blood) relatives with heart disease can also increase your risk of developing heart disease. Working close with "health providers" (such as nurses and doctors) to "review" (look at; go over) your medical history can help determine whether you are in the "high-risk" (likely to develop something bad) "category" (group).

The U.S. government strongly recommends "cholesterol" (substance in the body that prevents healthy movement of blood through the body) "screening" (exam) for men aged 35 and older. For people who have a "family history" (other members of one's blood relatives having had) of early heart disease, the government recommends cholesterol screening beginning at age 20 for both women and men.